Apparatus for forming pouches in circularly knitted fabrics



Jam 31, 1967 -J. D. MOYER 3,301,013

APPARATUS FOR FORMING POUCHES IN CIRCULARLY KNITTED FABRECS Filed July 12, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR James 0. Mayer ATTORNEY.

Jan. 31, 1967 J. D. MOYER 3,301,013

APPARATUS FOR FORMING POUCHE$ IN CIRCULARLY KNITTED FABRICS Filed July 12, 1965 4 Sheets-$heet 2 INVENTOR.

James 0 Mayer BYW/J% ATTORNEY.

Jan. 31, 1967 J. D. MOYER 3,301,013

APPARATUS FDR FORMENG POUCHES IN CIRCULARLY KNITTED FABRICS Filed July 121, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FLEE QL I 11 I. I!

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I I l i 1 INVENTOR.

James Q Ma er 36 M BY I y ATTORNEY.

$5121.31, 1967 J.D.MOYER 3,301,013

' APPARATUS FOR FORMING POUCHES IN CIRCULARLY KNITTED FABRICS Filed July 12, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FL 2-... E

Pl Eula I I y MWQ \A x A 34 WW K m A KMVV AJ INVENTOR.

James 0. Mayer ATTORNEY.

United States Patent O 3,301,013 APPARATUS FOR FORMING POUCHES IN CIRCULARLY KNITTED FABRICS James D. Moyer, Wyomissing, Pa., assignor to Textile Machine Works, Wyomissing, Pa, in corporation of 7 Pennsylvania Filed July 12, 1963, Ser. No. 294,494 6 Claims. (Cl. 66---54) This invention relates to multistation circular knitting machines of the type adapted only for rotary operation for knitting run-down type fabric tubes such as for stockings and more particularly to the provision of means in such machines for adjusting the length of the stitches in the circular courses knit at the several stations to shape the different portions of the fabric tube and to further adjust the length of the stitches in portions of the circular courses knit at the stations to form a pouch or pocket in the fabric tube such as for the heel of the stocking.

The invention is particularly applicable to a circular knitting machine having a plurality of knitting stations, specifically four stations, and stitch cams at the stations which are adapted for vertical adjustment to control the length of the stitches in the circular courses formed at each of the stations. The machine is also provided with means of the type shown in US. Patent No. 3,076,327, issued February 5, 1963, for simultaneously adjusting the vertical positions of the stitch cams at the several knitting stations. During knitting of a run-down type stocking fabric tubes on the above noted machine, the stitch cams at the several knitting stations are simultaneously adjusted to reduce the length of the stitches in the circular courses formed at each station to gradually reduce the diameter of the tube to that required in the ankle and foot portions of the stocking. Since there is no indication of the heel position in the tube knit in this manner, in some instances portions of the circular courses may be reinforced to provide a reinforced patch at the approximate position of the heel without however changing the length of the stitches in the circular courses. Following completion of the fabric tube, the toe end is closed in any suitable manner and the tube is placed on a board having the usual heel projection which acts to extend or stretch the fabric of the tube to the usual form of the heel pocket and the fabric is then heat set to retain it in the shape of the board. However, while the heel pocket formed in this manner appears to be the same as the conventional reciprocatorily knitted heel pocket when the stockings are new, after the stockings are used and laundered a few times, the fabric initially extended or stretched to form the heel pocket reverts to its original tubular form with the reinforced heel patch providing the only reminder as to where the heel should be.

' It is an object of the invention to provide means in a multi-station circular knitting machine adapted to form stocking fabric tubes by rotary operation, which means is adapted to adjust the length of the stitches in the circular courses formed at each of the stations to shape the fabric tubes and to further adjust the length of the stitches in portions of the circular courses to form pockets in the fabric tubes such as for the heels of the stockings.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means in a multistation circular knitting machine for controlling the length of the stitches in rotary knit portions of tubular stocking fabrics, which means includes a stitch cam at each of the stations of the machineja first means for simultaneously adjusting the vertical positions of the stitch cams at the several stations to form stitches of uniform length in the circular courses knit thereat, and means for individually moving the stitch cam at each of the 3,3dl,til3 Patented Jan. 31, 1967 stations between the adjusted position determined by the first means and a further adjusted position to form stitches of a different length in portions of the circular courses formed thereat.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method of operating a multistation circular knitting machine to rotarily knit rundown portions of the tubular stocking fabrics wherein the stitch cams associated with the several stations are simultaneously adjusted to form circular courses of predetermined length in the different portions of the fabrics and the stitch cam associated with each of the stations is individually adjusted to form stitches of a different length in portions of certain of the courses formed thereat.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a tubular stocking-fabric having connected circular courses throughout the length of the fabric, the circular courses in portions of the fabric having stitches of uniform length and the circular courses in another portion of the fabric having portions in which the stitches are uniform in length and other portions in which the stitches are graduated in length. j

A further object is the provision of a tubular stocking fabric having a welt portion, a leg portion, an ankle portion and a foot portion formed of connected circular courses throughout, the circular courses in the welt, leg and foot having stitches of predetermined uniform length and the circular courses in the ankle portion having portions in which the stitches are of a predetermined uniform length and portions in which the stitches are gradually increased from said predetermined length and then decreased to said predetermined length to provide a heel pocket in the tubular fabric.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent fromthe following detailed description of the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, the invention resides in the novel elements, features of construction and cooperation of parts, and in the product resulting therefrom, as hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the upper deck of a multifeed circular knitting machine having mechanism according to the instant invention applied thereto;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view through the knitting head of the machine of FIG. 1, taken substantially on the line and in the direction of the arrows 2-2 of FIG. 1; i

FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a side view of a stocking incorporating a heel pocket in accordance with the instant invention;

FIG. 9 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of the heel pocket of the stocking of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is a view on an enlarged scale diagrammatically illustrating the stitch structure in a portion of the heel pocket shown in FIG. 9.

In the following description and drawings the instant invention has been illustrated as incorporated in a fourfeed circular knitting machine having stitch length control mechanism in which the vertical positions of the stitch cams are adjusted to control the stitch length generally of the type shown in US. Patent No. 3,076,327, issued February 5, 1963, to which reference may be made for a more detailed description as to the general construction and operation of said stitch length control mechanism. However it will be understood that the invention is not to be considered as limited in use to machines having the mechanism of said Patent No. 3,076,327 but may also be employed in knitting machines having means for adjusting the vertical positions of the sinkers in relation to the stitch cams to control the length of the fabric stitches.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a portion of a circular knitting machine including a needle cylinder having usual slots for a circle of needles 11, and sinkers 8 which are slidably mounted in radially extending slots in a sinkerhead structure 9 secured to the upper end of the needle cylinder for movement relative to the needles in a common manner. The needles are adapted to be moved through stitch drawing movements to draw stitches over the sinkers to form yarns, fed thereto by yarn fingers 12, into courses of tubular stocking fabrics at each of four knitting stations Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. In the machine of the instant invention, which is adapted primarily for rotary operation, the stitch drawing movements of the needles are imparted thereto by cam means including stitch cam assemblies 13, one of which is located intermediate adjacent pairs of knitting stations, and center cams 14, one of which is located in fixed position between each pair of stitch cam assemblies. Each assembly 13 includes a stitch cam 15 which is mounted for vertical movement in an upright portion 16 of a bracket 17 in the manner set forth in said Patent No. 3,076,327, and the bracket of each assembly is held in fixed adjusted position in radially extending slots 20 formed in the upper surface of a table member 21, surrounding the cylinder 10 and forming a part of the framework of the machine, by clamps 22.

The cam 15 of each assembly 13 is vertically adjustable in the bracket 17 in relation to the sinkers 8 to vary the length of stitches drawn by the needles. For this purpose the cam 15 is connected to an eccentric end of a shaft rotatably mounted in the bracket 17, the shaft 15 and eccentric end thereon being similar to shaft 45 and end 42 of said Patent No. 3,076,327. Adjacent its other end shaft 25 loosely carries a member 26having a portion 27 adapted for engagement with a set screw 30 adjustably carried in a lever 31 secured to the end of shaft 25 (FIGS. 1 and 7). A spring 32 connected between the lever 31 and member 26 (FIG. 7) normally turns the lever and member relative to each other to maintain the set screw 30 in engagement with the portion 27.

The shafts 25 of the assemblies 13 are adapted to be simultaneously rotated to adjust the vertical positions of the cams 15 to vary the length of the stitches drawn by the cams 15 at each of the stations Nos. 1 to 4. For this purpose the member 26 of each assembly 13 adjustably carries a stop screw 35 for engagement with a vertically extending lug 36 on a ring member 37 (FIG. 6) which is mounted for rotative movement on an upper deck plate 38 also forming a part of the framework of the machine in the manner set forth in said Patent No. 3,076,327. The ring member 37 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1, by springs 40 connected between the ring member and a fixed part of the machine during which movement the stop screws 35 of the assemblies 13 are suitably caused to follow the lugs 36 thereby rotating levers 31 and the shafts 25 counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 6, to lower the stitch cams 15 and increase the length of the sitches. On the other hand, rotation of the ring member 37 in a clockwise direction causes lugs 36 to rotate the levers 31 and shafts 25 to raise the cams 15 to decrease the length of the stitches drawn by the cams. The ring member 37 is rotated in the clockwise direction by connections including a link 41 and a pivoted lever 42 which is adapted to be operated by cams generally indicated at 43 on a cam drum 45, in the manner shown and described in said Patent No. 3,076,327.

In accordance with the instant invention, the stitch cam 15 at each knitting station, after being moved to adjusted position by the ring member 37 to determine the length of the stitches to be formed in the courses knit at the station, is also adapted to be moved out of and into such adjusted position to gradually increase and decrease the length of the stitches in selected portions of the courses knit at the station. For this purpose, the lever 31 of each stitch cam assembly 13 has a downwardly extending arm (FIG. 7) which is connected by a Bowden wire 61 to one arm 62 of a lever 65. The levers 65 associated with the different cam assemblies 13 are pivotally mounted in a stack on a vertically extending pin 66 carried in a bracket 67 (FIGS. 3 and 4) secured in fixed position on the upper deck plate 38. Each of the levers 65 are biased counterclockwise to a rest position against a stop screw 72 adjustably carried in a member 75 also carried on the bracket 67, as viewed in FIG. 3, by a spring 70 connected to the lever and a pin 71 on the bracket 67.

Each lever 65 has a second arm 76 at the free end of which is rotatably mounted a roller type follower 77 for engagmeent with two lobes 80 of a cam 81 secured to a sleeve 82, as shown in FIG. 4. One of the lobes 80 on the cam 81 is adapted to act on the lever 65 during each rotation of the cylinder 10 to adjust the stitch cam in a segment of the needles normally employed to form the reciprocated heel of a conventional stocking and the cams 81 associated with the several knitting stations are arranged on the sleeve 82 so that the lobes act in succession on the same segment of needles at each station. The sleeve 82 is rotatably mounted on a vertically extending shaft 85 carried in the free end of a plate-like member 86 supported on the upper surface of the plate 38 and member 86 is loosely mounted on a shaft 87 for rocking movement about the center thereof in a manner and for purposes hereinafter set forth. The shaft 87, which is the so-called quarter turn shaft of the machine and is continuously rotated counterclockwise through one complete rotation for each four rotations of the cylinder 10 in the usual manner, carries a sprocket 90 which is connected by a chain 91 to a sprocket 92 secured to an upper reduced end 95 of the sleeve 82. The sprocket 90, which is the driver, and the sprocket 92 have an operating ratio of two to one whereby the sleeve 82 and cams 81 make one rotation for each two rotations of the needle cylinder or two rotations for each rotation of the shaft 87.

Intermediate the lower end of the sleeve 82 and the member 86, the shaft 85 rotatably carries a cam 96 for engagement with a roller 100 mounted on one arm 101 of a bracket 102 pivoted on a stud 105 carried in the plate 38 (FIG. 3). At the opposite side of stud 105 from the arm 101, bracket 102 is provided with an enlarged portion 106 having an arcuate slot 107 adapted to receive a bolt 110 threadably carried in the plate 38. The bracket 102 is initially turned about the stud 105 to adjust the position of the roller 100 relative to the cam 96 and the bracket 102 is then locked in fixed position by the bolt 110. The cam 96 has a low concentric portion 111, the opposite ends of which are connected by surfaces 112 and 113 to a high portion 115.

During such times that the positions of the earns 15 are to be controlled by the ring 37 to determine the length of the stitches, the cam-96 is stopped with the roller 100 aligned with the low surface 111 of the cam and the member 86 is turned clockwise about the shaft 87 by a spring 116, as viewed in FIG. 3, to a rest position determined by engagement of the member 86 with 'a stop screw 114 adjustably carried on the plate 38, as shown in FIG. 3. In this position of the member 86, although the cams 81 continue to rotate, the lobes 80 on the cams merely pass the followers 77 came levers 65 without engaging the same. When however, the stitch cams are to be moved to gradually increase and decrease the length of the stitches, as above set forth, the cam 96 is rotated during which the roller 100 rides up the surface 112 to the high surface 115 on the cam to gradually turn the member 86 counterclockwise from its rest position to move the lobes 80 on the cams 81 into position to engage 'and operate the levers 65 and the roller then rides down surface 113 to the low portion 111 to again gradually return the member 86 to its clockwise or rest position.

For so rotating the cam 96 the cam is provided with a circular portion defining a ratchet 117 the teeth of which are adapted to be acted on by a pawl 120. Pawl 120 is pivoted on a stud 121 carried in a lever 122 and a spring 125 between the pawl and a fixed part of the lever maintains the pawl in engagement with the ratchet. The lever 122 is pivotally mounted on the sleeve 82 between the ratchet 117 and member 86 (FIGS. 4 and 5) and is operated to move the pawl 120through strokes to move the ratchet a distance of one tooth by a lever 126 which is connected to the lever 122 by a link 127 (FIG. 3). The lever 126, which is pivoted on a stud 130 carried in the member 86, is provided with 'a nose portion 131 for engagement with rollers 132 or the like carried on a collar 135 secured to and rotating with the shaft 87. A spring 136 connected between the link 127 and the member 86 acts to turn the lever 126 conterclockwise to a rest position against a stop screw 137 adjustably carried on the member 86 and to position the pawl 120 for engagement with a new tooth or" the ratchet. The lever 126 is turned clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 3, by engagement of the rollers 132 with the nose portion 131, to move the lever 122 and pawl 120 through ratchet advancing strokes.

In order to arrest the cam 96 in its stopped position of FIG. 3 as above set forth one tooth of the ratchet 117 is removed to form a space 140 in which the pawl 120 is idly moved during operation of the lever 126 by the rollers 132. When the cam 96 is to be rotated the lever 122 and pawl 120 are moved a distance equal to two teeth of the ratchet 117 to move the space 140 from beneath the pawl thereby permitting the pawl to again rotate the ratchet and cam. For so moving the pawl a distance of two teeth, lever 126 is provided with a fiinger 141 which is adapted to be engaged and operated by a cam 142 on a cam drum 45.

Referring to FIG. 8 there is shown a stocking fabric 150, which is knitted of continuous circular courses throughout in acordance with the invention, having the usual turned welt 151, a leg portion 152, an ankle portion 153, an instep portion 154, a heel pocket 155 and foot portion 156. The length of the stitches in the circular courses are reduced from the welt to the ankle portion in the usual manner and the circular courses then continue without interruption through the instep and foot. In order to provide sufiicient material in the instep portion 154 to form the heel pocket 155, the stitches in portions of circular courses starting at a course 157, defining the upper edge of the pocket, are gradually increased from the instep length, starting from one side edge of the heel pocket (FIG. to the vertical center thereof indicated by the line 158 (FIG. 9) and thereafter are gradually decreased to the opposite edge of the heel pocket. The length of the course portions in the heel pocket are also gradually increased from the course 157 to the widest portion of the heel pocket indicated at 159 and then gradually decreased to a course 160 defining the lower edge of the heel pocket. The rate of the gradual increase and decrease in the lengths of the stitches on opposite sides of the vertical center line 158 is substantially uniform, so that the increased length of the course portions from coursses 157 and 160 to the widest portion of the heel pocket also causes a gradual increase in the longest stitches formed along the vertical certer 158.

In forming the stocking 150 on the machine show herein, the vertical portions of the stitch cams 15 at the several stations are simultaneously adjusted by the ring member 37 to adjust the length of the stitches of the courses in the welt 151, leg portion 152 and ankle portion 153 of the stocking. During the knitting of these portions the member 86 is in its rest position against the stop screw 114 and the pawl 120 is idling in the space 140 on the ratchet 117. At the appropriate time the cam 142 on the cam drum 45 is moved into and out of engagement with the finger 141 to turn the lever 126 clockwise as viewed in FIG. 3 and move the pawl 120 a distance of two teeth of the ratchet. This removes the idling space 140 from beneath the pawl thereby permitting the pawl to act on the teeth of the ratchet and rotate cam 96 in the manner above set forth. During such rotation of the cam, engagement of the leading surface 112 thereon with the roller 101] moves the member 86 counterclockwise about the shaft 87 to move the lobes on the rotating cams 81 into position to engage the levers 65. As a lobe 80 on each of the cams 81 engages its associated lever 65, the lever is first rocked clockwise about its pivot to gradually adjust the position of its associated stitch cam 15 relative to the member 37 to gradually increase the length of the stitches. The lever is then rocked counterclockwise as it rides off of the lobe to gradually return the stitch cam to the control of the member 37 and gradually decrease the length of the stitches.

When the lobes 80 on the cams first engage and rock the levers 65 as above set forth, which is timed to occur at the starting course 157 of the heel pocket, the length of the surfaces of the lobes affecting the rocking movements of the levers are relatively short and coincide with the length of the portion of course 157 in which the stitches are increased and decreased. During continued rota-tion of the cam 96, as roller rides up the surface 112 of the cam, the member 86 and cams 81 thereon continue to move counterclockwise to gradually increase the lengths of the surfaces of the lobes 80 engaged by the levers 65 and hence gradually change the adjusted position of the stitch cams 15 relative to member 37. This in turn increases the length of the course portions af fected by such movement of the stitch cams. The mem ber 86 and cams 81 continue to move counterclockwise until the roller 100 engages the high surface of cam 96 after which the member 86 is gradually movedclock- Wise as the roller 1G0 rides down the trailing surface 113 to gradually decrease the lengths of the surfaces of lobes 80 engaged by the levers 65 and the lengths of course portions in which the stitches are increased and decreased. After the course 160, which is the last course of the heel pocket in which the length of the stitches are adjusted, continued clockwise movement of the member 86 carries the lobes 80 on the teams 81 out of engagement with rollers on the levers 65 and returns control of the stitch cams 15 to the ring member during knitting of the remainder of the stocking. The pawl then continues to rotate cam 96 to move the member 86 clockwise to its rest position and until the idling space is again beneath the pawl.

It will be understood that the improvements specifically shown and described by which the above results are obtained, can be changed and modified in various ways without departing from the invention herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a circular knitting machine having a plurality of knitting stations, a rotatable cylinder, a circle of needles in said cylinder, a stitch cam at each of said stations for operating said needles to knit circular courses of a tubular fabric, common means for simultaneously adjusting the vertical positions of said stitch cams at said stations to adjust the length of the stitches in said circular courses, the improvement comprising a second means associated with the stitch c'am at each of said stations for individually moving said stitch cam from the adjusted position thereof determined by said common means to a second adjusted position to further adjust the length of the stitches in portions of said circular courses knit thereat, said second means including a lever, means connecting said lever and said stitch cam, a cam for operating said lever, means for rotating said cam in timed relation to the rotation of said cylinder, a support member on which said cam is mounted for rotation, pivot means for mounting said support member for rocking movement, means for rocking said support member on s'aidpivot means to an inactive position to maintain said cam out of engagement with said lever, and means for rocking said support member on said pivot means to an active position in which said cam engages and operates said lever to move said stitch cam to said second adjusted position.

2. In a machine according to claim 1 in which said means for rocking said support member to active position includes a cam member rotatably mounted on said support member and there is means for rotating said cam member torock said support member from said inactive position to said active position.

3. In a machine according to claim 2 in which said means for rotating said cam member includes a ratchet, a pawl acting on teeth of said ratchet, and means for operating said pawl to advance said ratchet in steps equal to one of said teeth of said ratchet.

4. In a machine according to claim 3 in which there is means for arresting the rotation of said cam member when said support member is in active position and there is means for operating said pawl to advance said ratchet a distance of two of said teeth of said ratchet to start the rotation of said cam to move said support member to said active position.

5. In a machine according to claim 1 in which said cam is rotated by said rotating means to operate said lever during each rotation of said cylinder.

6. In a machine according to claim 1 in which said cam is provided with two lobes for operating sa d lever and said cam is rotated by said rotating means to cause one of said lobes to engage and operate said lever during each rotation of said cylinder.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 653,562 7/1900 Scott et al. 6554 X 1,865,385 6/1932 Page 6654 2,125,114 7/1938 Kugelman 66l87 2,135,185 11/1938 Lawson et al. 66-54 2,163,557 6/1939 Holmes 66-54 X 2,357,630 9/1944 Cole 66187 2,983,126 5/1961 Wainwright 6654 3,013,417 12/1961 Holder 6654 3,076,327 2/1963 Coile 66-54 3,116,620 1/1964 Hanel et al 66--54 3,169,385 2/1965 Haberhauer 66-54 3,256,716 6/1966 Hanel 6654 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,317,039 12/1962 France.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

W. C. REYNOLDS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE HAVING A PLURALITY OF KNITTING STATIONS, A ROTATABLE CYLINDER, A CIRCLE OF NEEDLES IN SAID CYLINDER, A STITCH CAM AT EACH OF SAID STATIONS FOR OPERATING SAID NEEDLES TO KNIT CIRCULAR COURSES OF A TUBULAR FABRIC, COMMON MEANS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY ADJUSTING THE VERTICAL POSITIONS OF SAID STITCH CAMS AT SAID STATIONS TO ADJUST THE LENGTH OF THE STITCHES IN SAID CIRCULAR COURSES, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A SECOND MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH THE STITCH CAM AT EACH OF SAID STATIONS FOR INDIVIDUALLY MOVING SAID STITCH CAM FROM THE ADJUSTED POSITION THEREOF DETERMINED BY SAID COMMON MEANS TO A SECOND ADJUSTED POSITION TO FURTHER ADJUST THE LENGTH OF THE STITCHES IN PORTIONS OF SAID CIRCULAR COURSES KNIT THEREAT, SAID SECOND MEANS INCLUDING A LEVER, MEANS CONNECTING SAID LEVER AND SAID STITCH CAM, A CAM FOR OPERATING SAID LEVER, MEANS FOR ROTAWTING SAID CAM IN TIMED RELATION TO THE ROTATION OF SAID CYLINDER, A SUPPORT MEMBER ON WHICH SAID CAM IS MOUNTED FOR ROTATION, PIVOT MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID SUPPORT MEMBER FOR ROCKING MOVEMENT, MEANS FOR ROCKING SAID SUPPORT MEMBER ON SAID PIVOT MEANS TO AN INACTIVE POSITION TO MAINTAIN SAID CAM OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID LEVER, AND MEANS FOR ROCKING SAID SUPPORT MEMBER ON SAID PIVOT MEANS TO AN ACTIVE POSITION IN WHICH SAID CAM ENGAGES AND OPERATES SAID LEVER TO MOVE SAID STITCH CAM TO SAID SECOND ADJUSTED POSITION. 